Black And White
by Cryssy-miu
Summary: Post "Cricket Game"; a broken Regina goes into hiding after being accused with murder, but she immediately finds herself launched into a scenario she didn't expect, as foes of of her haunted past and a strange illness forces her to unite with unlikely allies in order to protect the lives of the residents in Storybrooke and finally restore her own. R


_(Alright so I've written a lot of one shots, but I am going to give an actual fic a try. Now this fic has most of the main characters taking equal roles, but the main, focused relationship is Snow and Regina, and, ya know, other relationships. But the main one is what I said; I feel no one touches on them enough._

_So this chapter is incredibly short and I am known for very long chapters, but for the most part chapters and updates will vary. Also, there are no pairings in this except for Snow and Charming, and perhaps mentions of Killian and Emma (and Rumbelle). In short: I DON'T SUPPORT SWAN QUEEN. Enjoy.)_

* * *

Magic was a tricky thing. It had many consequences, and little benefits. Its conjurers hardly ever read the manual it came with, and that's what always lead to utter discord. The funny thing was that magic could be such a gorgeous thing, but not many of its users made it that way.

Magic was relied on as a crutch for the weak, or evil for the ones that wanted to be in power. Magic could create, but it could also corrupt. In the Enchanted Forest, magic hardly ever did the former.

If one really studied magic they would learn it's a risk that should never be taken. The side effects were too severe and its users normally didn't learn that until it was too late to reverse the affects.

The plethora of questions and warnings all lead to one thing that couldn't be stressed enough: Magic always came with a price.

Standing locked and alone in a secluded cabin far into the woods of Storybrooke, Regina began to unwillingly and unconsciously pay the price of her years of corruption.

She slipped her fingers through the drapes of the cabin windows and peered out into the black night. She did this every night, fearing that the Charming family would be out there, possibly with a sword or a gun, and holding Henry behind them just to taunt her with the notion that she'd never be able to see him again.

It would only be a matter of time. Storybrooke was a small town and the woods only went so far before the cabin was visible. Plus, Regina was quite certain Snow had been to this cabin with Charming before.

They'd likely find her, especially if they brought their fucking dog. All Ruby would have to do would be to press her nose against the ground and follow the trail to the cabin. She'd bark and lead them right to her. Then what? Where to after that?

It didn't take too much thinking to come to the conclusion that Snow and Charming would do all they could to see to it she'd get the death penalty. After all, the little princess did say she'd kill her if she harmed any of her subjects. As long as they thought she killed Archie, they'd be out for her head.

Regina backed away from the window and laid down on the dusty, probably-ridden-with-spiders cot. Agony which she couldn't explain pulsed through her veins; the kind of pain that trickled through her veins when she had first become Rumpelstiltskin's apprentice.

Magic wasn't as easy as snapping your fingers and making a flower appear out of thin air. Bodies normally needed to try and grow accustom to the new power flowing through them; magic pulsed through like blood through the circulatory system.

Regina ignored the pain as she curled up quietly on the cot, her short and damp hair falling onto the pillow she had stained for days with salty tears of regret and grief. Really, if she was going to be honest with herself, the sting in her veins was nothing compared to the sting in her heart-that burned with the reminder of every word and every accusation.

The former queen shuddered and forced herself not to think about it again. Every time she did, it just cleaved another deep gash into her heart. What was honestly stopping her from ending it all now? There were certainly many cliffs this far into the forest. Death seemed like such an easy option, and although the calloused woman had dealt it out plenty herself, she knew she was a coward and could never take her own life.

Pulling back the curtains a final time, Regina found her sight instantly blurred beyond the veil of tears in her eyes. She wouldn't be able to see anything if she tried. Growling in anger, she whisked the curtain back into place and pulled back into the stiff cot.

She was alone, and she hated it. Regina had been alone most of her life, and she was almost growing used to living in an empty house in a solitude she didn't want to be in. Now the woman would prefer anything to being alone. She wanted Henry, she wanted to talk to Archie, and fuck, by this point she didn't care if it was Emma or Snow that was with her. She just didn't like this. She didn't _trust_ herself to be alone.

Of course, if any of the Charmings were here they'd probably eagerly encourage her to do the ideas racking in her skull right now.

Extinguishing the candle by her bed, Regina warmed her freezing cheeks with a final tear and shut her eyes as she tried to ignore the archaic illness in her system. The only thing she could do was take things one day at a time.

So that's what she'd do.


End file.
